British Columbia Culture Days Launches with Focus on Mental Health

This weekend marked the beginning of BC Culture Days, a nationwide initiative celebrating the arts through a wide array of free, interactive events. The festival, which runs for three weeks, features over 250 events in Metro Vancouver alone, including exhibitions, performances, screenings, arts tours, digital experiences, concerts, and workshops.

Opening Celebration Highlights Arts and Wellbeing

The local celebration commenced on Saturday at the Reach Gallery in Abbotsford, where municipal and provincial officials joined artists in promoting the festival’s diverse programming. Attendees were encouraged to explore the numerous activities planned throughout the festival.

This year marks the 16th edition of Culture Days since its inception in 2000. The theme for 2025 centers on the potential of creativity to enhance wellbeing and mental health. This focus is particularly pertinent, as the festival aims to engage participants in exploring how creative expression can foster self-care and emotional resilience.

CARE Series Promotes Community Engagement

The theme of mental health is further emphasized through the CARE series, a province-wide mentorship initiative designed to involve the community in creative activities that promote connection, compassion, and self-expression. Each event will feature mental health professionals to support participants throughout their experiences, which include activities such as singing, dancing, storytelling, and mask-making.

“With all the political, economic, and environmental challenges being experienced around the world at this time, many are feeling the impact, especially those already faced with ongoing mental health challenges,” said Nazanin Shoja, BC Culture Days Program Director, in a press release.

She added, “Through this year’s programming, we hope to share how creativity can serve as an outlet for expression, compassion, connection, and self-care as we move forward together.”

Last year, BC Culture Days attracted over 700,000 residents who participated in 685 events across 65 communities in British Columbia. The full schedule of this year’s events is available on the official Culture Days website, inviting everyone to engage in the rich tapestry of creative opportunities available across the province.